שכא

Nussun as above.

My beloved son Nachman — may he live. I received your greeting — and I had great pleasure from what you yourself wrote. In particular since you were not well — praised be Hashem Yisborach Who helped you. Today you must begin to put on tefillin — you have been born anew. For the sake of Hashem Yisborach — take careful note of what is beginning now. Throw away all the foolishness that has been until now — and create for yourself a new heart for good. [בִּיסְטוּ גָּאר נַייא גִּיבּוֹרֶין — you are entirely newly born — the Yiddish is raw and powerful. A boy putting on tefillin for the first time is not merely fulfilling a new mitzvah — he is born again — an entirely new being. Reb Nussun speaks to him with the most direct fatherly love: throw away the foolishness — the old way of a child — and create for yourself a new heart. This is a moment of true birth] If Hashem wills — from Uman — I will write to you more — with Hashem's help. The tefillin batim — I will tell my son Rabbi Itzik — may he live — to send to you. Be well and joyful — and say Tehillim every day — and desire to learn — and everything will be well — with Hashem's help.

And peace to all our anshei sh'lomaynu with great love. It is impossible just now to address you separately as befitting. Presumably you will see or hear what he wrote to his son Rabbi Itzik — may he live. And the post is very urgent.

May the Master of Mercy make the writing and the sealing good [בַּעַל הָרַחֲמִים יֵיטִיב הַכְּתִיבָה וְהַחֲתִימָה — the traditional blessing of the month of Elul — "may you be written and sealed for good." Reb Nussun opens with this greeting — he has arrived in Uman — and it is already Elul — the month of preparation for Rosh Hashana] — to the honor of my beloved son — my dear one — the rabbinical scholar — and so forth — our Teacher the Rabbi Yitzchok — may he live — with all his children who go forth from his loins — may they live.

The words of your father — who awaits to see all good in you.

Nussun of Breslov

Until here His mercies Yisborach helped us — that he arrived here on Tuesday — around midday. And he found his letter — and it was a comfort. And now his eyes are raised heavenward — He Who began — He will complete the work placed in his hand — which is the eternal good of the community. May Hashem complete for them for good quickly. And the awesome holy days are approaching — and one must examine his deeds — and seek and search and investigate a way to repentance — each one from the place where he is. And our power is only in the mouth — and for this too one needs heavenly assistance. And one must strengthen oneself in good desires and longings — with great strengthening and great stubbornness in desire — and to believe in oneself — that still the good within him is very very strong — even though I have damaged it as I have damaged — even so many waters cannot extinguish the love — and rivers cannot flood the good points that I merited to snatch in this passing shadow. [Shir Hashirim 8:7] And in particular — praised be G-d in His great chesed — all is hidden and concealed and sealed and preserved with the true Master of the House — and through his great power — still I have hope for all true and eternal good. Only be very strong and resolute — to rejoice in all this throughout the entire year — and in these holy days of Elul and Tishrei — more and more.

The words of one who writes with tears — from the immensity of the longing for the good points — and so forth.

[Hebrew: נָתָן הַנַּ"ל...]

Nussun of Breslov.

*Ashreinu* that we know such holy and awesome and exalted combinations for Elul and Tishrei. And he could not restrain himself from mentioning some of them:

[Hebrew: נָתָן הַנַּ"ל...]